Thesis Statement Example: Humanity in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Introduction:

Frankenstein is a gothic novel written by Mary Shelly, which poses many questions about the beliefs of the world at  that time. 

The text details the story of Victor Frankenstien, a scientist who pushed the field of science by creating a living creature, known as the monster, with dead matter. Throughout the text we see the story of both Victor Frankenstien and his creation of the monster. Along with this we see their interactions between them, themselves, and others with acts of emotion, murder, and ect.

Thesis Statement: With the novel, Frankenstein, Mary Shelly utilizes her two main characters to show what it truly means to be human, through each of the bodies and souls of the characters. 

Topic Sentence: Firstly we see two types of humanities represented in these two characters, humanity's presence and its absence through the cognitive aspects of their characters. 

Evidence (include citation): “After days and nights of incredible labour and fatigue, I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.” (Shelly 31)

Through: Through Victor’s intense self-dignity within his inner dialogue he often thinks very highly of himself.

Effect: With that oftentimes the interpretation is that Victor is claiming himself to be higher than others. 

Meaning: Being higher than others and bestowing life represents a character or at least an ideology that one is godly, above humanity or in general inhumane.  

Evidence: ”I spent the winter in this manner. The gentle manners and beauty of the cottagers greatly endeared them to me; when they were unhappy, I felt depressed; when they rejoiced, I sympathized in their joys” (Shelly 79)

Through: Through the monster and his acts of empathy the character is shown as realistic.

Effect: It is that realistic effect that gives the character a sense of humanity.

Meaning: With that human aspect of empathy the monster is characterized as human or at least human-like.

Topic Sentence: Absence is shown in Frankenstein due to his soul and character even though his human corporal body.

Evidence (include citation): “I was now about to form another being, of whose dispositions I was alike ignorant; she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate and delight, for its own sake, in murder and wretchedness.” (Shelly 120)

Through: Through Victor’s dialogue it is shown that when he creates something he often holds disdain for the creature.

Effect: With this, a sense of level or rank appears where Victor is higher than his own creation. 

Meaning: The sense of a higher being than his own creation, that which is meant to portray humanity, displays Victor as once again above humanity or inhumane. 

Evidence: “I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on.” (Shelly 165)

Through: However through this dialogue, he often shows times of distress and woe. 

Effect: Within these moments we see a character stricken with low self-esteem to a large point.

Meaning: When Victor is this low he regards himself as below humanity “an abortion” so below it is inhumane.

Topic Sentence: While humanity’s absence is shown in the monster’s corporal body, it is present in his character, through the soul.

Evidence (include citation): “A flash of lightning illuminated the object, and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy dæmon, to whom I had given life.” (Shelly 50)

Through: Through a line of imagery a representation of the monster is shown.

Effect: The depiction is meant to be otherworldly and “more hideous than belongs to humanity.”

Meaning: Through visuals alone, the monster is depicted as just that, an inhumane monster.

Evidence: “Could they turn from their done one, however monstrous, who solicited their compassion and friendship” (Shelly 93)

Through: However through the actions and depictions of the monster there is a different light shown.

Effect: Compassion and friendship are both human traits that go against the corporal depiction of the monster.

Meaning: Meaning, as the quote says, however monstrous the monster is human.

Conclusion

While Frankenstein is a very broad text that covers a lot of concepts and ideas, controversial or not one important thing the text looks at is what it means to be human. Early on the book makes a statement on humanity via the characters Victor and his monster. Victor is a human that often shows triviality on what it means to be human through his soul, however, is directly human through his body. Whereas the monster is depicted as inhumane through the body through the character and soul of the character makes a human being. 

In short, Mary Shelly depicts humanity through the corporal bodies of both of these characters. In doing so Mary Shelly reveals what it truly means to be human after all. It is in the content of the character and the soul of the person.